Polyscias fruticosaMing Aralia

The Polyscias fruticosa, or Ming Aralia, is an upright multi-stemmed shrub carrying finely divided lacy foliage on slender stems, reaching 2 to 5 metres outdoors and usually held at 1 to 2 metres in containers.

Its narrow footprint and airy texture make it useful where a screen is wanted but a solid mass would close a space down, and it is a long-standing interior and bonsai subject.

Specifications

• Height2 to 5 metres outdoors, commonly held at 1 to 2 metres in containers
• Width1 to 2 metres
• Native toIsland Southeast Asia, and long cultivated across the Pacific
• FoliageFinely divided lacy tripinnate leaves carried on slender upright stems; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers free-draining, humus-rich soil
• LightPartial shade to bright indirect light
• WaterModerate; keep evenly moist and reduce in cool weather
• ClimateThrives in humid tropical and subtropical regions, and in stable interiors; frost tender

Additional Features

• FormSlender upright multi-stemmed habit with a narrow footprint
• UsesIdeal for interior landscaping, shaded courtyards, light screening, containers and bonsai
• SpacingPlant 0.8 to 1.2 metres apart for a light screen
• Low MaintenanceTip prune to keep the habit dense; expect leaf drop if it is moved or chilled
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound; mealybug and scale can appear in still interior air
• VersatilityReads as a screen outdoors, a specimen in a container and a subject for close training

The Ming Aralia is the choice where a screen has to stay narrow and stay light, indoors or under canopy.